celebrating 50 years of the classic yacht association...8 am, family and friends of the deceased...

Celebrating 50 years of the Classic Yacht Associationby Margie Paynton, PNW Fleet, Association Historian

This year (2020) marks the fiftieth anniver-sary of the founding of the Classic Yacht Association. Since our kickoff celebration at the Change of Watch in January, much has changed. Our boating events have largely been cancelled, with marinas and marine parks closed to transient overnight guests. Opportunities to acknowledge this milestone anniversary have been put on hold; the PNW Fleet has moved its Bell Harbor Classic Weekend Rendezvous celebration of CYA’s 50th to 2021. Our salute to our history will now encompass a look both back to a gold-en age of boatbuilding and into the future of pleasure boating.

Since our current membership spans much of CYA’s 50 years, it seems appropriate to share some of our history, both as a remind-er to our longtime members and as new knowledge to more recent members. Much of the information about our history comes from the work of the late Bruce Dobson, who in 2002 produced a limited-edition book entitled CYA: The First Thousand Members.

Here are some highlights from the past 50 years:

• Eighteen Charter Members signed the Articles of Incorporation on October 24, 1970. Their names are listed at the beginning of our annual Member-ship Roster. Bob Ekoos served as the first Asso-ciation Commodore.

• • Early in CYA’s history, there was a category of

membership called Midshipmen. The Midshipmen was to be a youth group inside CYA for members 18 to 28 years old. There is only one historical reference to activities of the Midshipmen and that took place in 1976; but, according to the 1971 By-Laws, a representative of the Midshipmen sat as a non-voting member of the Board of Direc-tors.

• The Alaska Fleet was chartered in 1980. When it dissolved in 2009, members were absorbed first into the Canadian Fleet, and subsequently into the PNW Fleet, where one remains today, the Princeton Hall.

• • In the FIRSTS department, the first woman As-

sociation Commodore was Scottie Dobson in 1998. The first CYA website debuted in 1997, with George Homenko as Webmaster. Another first was unplanned. In 1994, at the conclusion of the Change of Watch weekend aboard the Queen Mary in Long Beach, California, guests were awakened to the intense vibrating of the ship, caused by the 6.7 magnitude Northridge earth-quake!

• • In our fifty years, the Association has published

three photo albums: 1977, 1988, and 2003.

First o�cers of the Classic Yacht Association (l to r): Bob Ekoos (Com-modore), George Freeman (Rear Commodore), Bob Heath (Secre-tary-Treasurer) and Buss Olson (Vice Commodore). The cardboard sign shows the CYA Burgee designed by Kirk Ekoos, and reads, “To promote and encourage an interest in the preservation, restoration, and main-tenance of �ne old power driven pleasure crafts.” The photo was taken October 2, 1970.

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CLASSIC YACHT ASSOCIATION SUMMER 2020

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Diane’s Marian II at Curt and Marsha Erickson’s Secret Island Rendezvous in Glenthorne Passage, near Salt Island Bridge, BC in 2017. courtesy of D Lander

From the CommodoreDiane E. Lander

It is an honor and privilege to serve as Com-modore in the 50th anniversary year of our association. How things have changed in the world since we gathered together for our fabulous Change of Watch Weekend that was hosted by the PNW fleet in Seattle in January.

I have several goals and objectives to work on this year. I am looking forward to working with my fabulous bridge and the local fleet officers and representatives this year. We have imple-mented a procedure for electing only elec-tronic delivery of this newsletter. All you have to do is log onto the CYA website, edit your profile, electing to not receive a mailed copy of the newsletter. This issue of the newsletter will be the first for the “electronic delivery only op-tion”. I am looking forward to receiving only an elec-tronic newsletter as that is my personal preference. Thank you to Rick Etsell, Webmaster, and Janice Johnson-Palmer for their work on the website. Jan-ice particularly as Events Coordinator has been busy updating the website with COVID19 notices of events being canceled.

Enhancing our status as a 501(c)(3) non-profit orga-nization is important too. We need to be sure that we are fully promoting the educational aspects of our

non-profit organization and I thank our Treasurer Jim Paynton for working tirelessly with our new CPA who specializes in non-profits to make sure we are doing everything correctly. I am also interested in working hard to retain our existing members and increasing membership. We must be sure that we remain an ex-cellent educational and informational resource for our members, especially those members who are new to classic boat ownership.

Before the COVID19 pandemic, I had hoped to be able to attend at least one event hosted by each fleet, but if our PNW fleet is any example, we have canceled literally every event this year. We hope to have a small cruise to the South Sound and will make a decision shortly about whether that is feasible. I have found that the best source for updated boating information in the pandemic here in the Pacific North-west is Waggoner Guide’s website (see Be Prepared for COVID-19 Boating, pg 7) As we slowly move in Washington State from Phase 1 to Phase 2 of rein-troduction, a few marinas will be opening for limited service. Whether the Ca-nadian border will open to American boats this summer is not known as of the time of this writing. As for me, I have used this time to complete some boat projects on Marian II and spent one sunny afternoon on my boat out on Lake Wash-ington. It is not difficult at all to be socially distant while boating. I hope that all of us can get out and use our boats this sum-mer.

Feel free to reach out to me at [email protected] with your ideas and suggestions for what you want to see from your Classic Yacht Association.

Fair winds and following seas,

Commodore Diane E. Lander

Diane’s pandemic shelf project being put to good use. photo by D Lander

Diane is prepared for our COVID-19 world. photo by D Lander

CLASSIC YACHT ASSOCIATION SUMMER 2020(continued from pg 1, Celebrating...)

During the past fifty years, the CYA has changed to meet evolving circumstances. The original vessel criteria included only vessels built prior to 1942. A Vintage class was added in 2005 for vessels built be-tween 1942 and 1959 and expand-ed in 2017 to include vessels built through 1964.

The original fleet, centered around Alamitos Bay in southern Califor-nia, expanded to include fleets in northern California, the Pacific Northwest, Alaska, and Canada. A USA fleet, for vessels outside the West Coast, was formed in 1995, and actually includes vessels in Greece and Australia.

There were growing pains which required the creation and expansion of bylaws and ultimately an organiza-tional structure with a Board of Directors with repre-sentation from all five fleets. Organized as a not-for-profit Corporation in California in 1970, CYA achieved US IRS 501(c)(3) status in 2016, with education and

charitable purposes. (See Chari-table Gifts and Donations in the Spring 2020 issue and Charting a Gifting Culture, pg 5 in this issue for more on this important devel-opment.)

Fifty years after our Association was organized, there are six vessels that have had continuous membership since (and some-times prior to) their fleet’s charter. These are Vera Lee II, Hiltot II, Cle Illahee, Marian II, Comrade and Valentine. These vessels are profiled in the 2020 Commemo-rative Calendar produced by CYA Historian Margie Paynton. Fur-thermore, four Charter vessels are currently CYA members: Colnett,

Conquest, Ranger and Vera Lee II.

Although our celebration of the CYA 50th will spill into 2021, members can celebrate today by downloading our 50th anniversary logo, created by member Matt Paynton, from the CYA website and take it to the shop of their choice for placing on clothing of their choosing.

This milestone anniversary is worth celebrating for more than one year, and we will!!!

The CYA’s 50th Anniversary logo was created by member Matt Paynton. It can be down-loaded from the CYA website for your use. Please help us celebrate by having it placed on your favorite article of clothing.

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As a CYA’er and a funeral home owner in Southern California, I find that there is a fascinating intersection between my occupation and my avocation. While burial in the ground is the oldest form of final dis-position, it seems that we have forgotten about the second oldest. Since mankind first went to the sea in ships, we have been performing full body burials at sea. (Yep. That’s still a thing.)

I grew up in the Midwest. My family was in the com-mercial shipping business on the Mississippi River. Our home was decorated in all things nautical. I loved watching television shows like Sea Hunt with Lloyd Bridges and Errol Flynn’s swashbuckler movies like The Sea Hawk. Yet, I spent the first 50 years of my life land-locked. So, when the opportunity present-ed itself to move to Santa Barbara, I jumped at the chance. I think I even cried a little when I turned onto the Pacific Coast Highway for the first time in Santa Barbara and saw the ocean so close on my left.

Last April at the Santa Barbara Earth Day Festival, our funeral home had a booth showcasing all of the eco-friendly methods which you and your loved ones can choose from for your final disposition. When I told people about full body burial at sea, without exception, every person said, “Is that legal?” Their second question was often, “How long has that been legal?” to which I replied, “About 10,000 years” (It has always been legal).

Governed by the U.S. EPA, rather than the Coast Guard, no special licensing is required and you can use your own boat. The only requirements for full body burial at sea are that the boat be a minimum of 3 miles offshore and in 600 feet of water. Due to the shallowness of the coastline in my area, boats must go out 8 miles just to reach a depth of 600 feet. Federal regulations also mandate that the body must “Go down and stay down.” To ensure this, placed in the shroud with the body is a 50-pound bag of sand. Traditionally, cannonballs or a length of anchor chain was used, but a bag of sand is more eco-friendly.Just like when someone died in all the tall-ship mov-ies, the body is wrapped in a canvas shroud (in days of old, it was the sailor’s hammock), placed on a board, under the flag (you don’t have to be a veteran to be under the U.S. flag, nor does it have to be that

flag) and after some words are said, the board is tilted up and the shrouded body slides into the ocean and immediately sinks to the bottom.

I recently performed one of these ceremonies. On the chosen day, at about 8 am, family and friends of the deceased boarded a beautiful, 74 ft. charter yacht in Santa Barbara Harbor. The deceased, wrapped in a lovely blue canvas shroud, bound by line and surrounded by flowers, was already onboard. While underway, the gathered family and friends had breakfast in the galley and socialized. When the Captain informed us that we were at the pre-designated location, he shut down the engines and the group came out to the bow and sat around the body. They shared stories and read poems and Bible verses, just as one would at any funer-al service. When they were finished, we lifted the back-board onto the rail and invited family members to join us in holding the board. The Captain rang the ship’s bell eight times, the traditional signal of the “end of watch.” Then the backboard was tilted up and the deceased entered the sea. His daughter, granddaughter and great-grandson placed a wreath at the spot where the body entered. It was beautiful and moving. The flag was folded in military fashion and presented to the family. On the ride back, the crew opened the bar and the family had a good old-fashioned Irish wake.

Being in the funeral business, people often ask me, “What are your plans for your own funeral?” Even with all the choices available today, there can only be one answer for me – full body burial at sea. In my opinion, it is the most sacred and wonderful ceremony that the Sea offers its community and one of the greatest things about living on the Coast.

Blue is the New Greenby Dan Flynn, Southern California Fleet

A hint from Dan - When spreading ashes at sea, you can prevent them from blowing into your face and clothes and sticking to your deck. Place ash remains in a plain paper bag and tie with twine. This is all biogredable. Gently, place the bag onto the surface of the water. The bag and its contents will dampen naturally and sink be-low the surface.

Ready for burial at sea.photo contributed by D Flynn


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This article is the second in our ongoing discussion of CYA’s 501(c)(3) status. This article will focus on creat-ing a gifting culture, to the benefit the CYA’s mission and its members, using in-kind gifts or cash.

There are many ways a member can assist programs that are focused on education, public engagement, or even help with the Association operations.

Creating a responsible gifting program requires de-veloping policies that fit our Charter. In consultation with the CYA’s CPA, Executive Treasurer, and other tax professionals, the CYA’s Executive Committee is undertaking the creation of policies and procedures on all types of gifts including an acceptable range of in-kind and directed gifts. Tax benefit options avail-able in Canada will also be explored.

Our yachts and Fleet members participate in many events that provide outreach and education of the public (e.g. the Victoria Wooden Boat Festival, Clas-sic Weekend at Bell Harbor Marina, Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival, Antique and Classic Boat Rendezvous, Old Fashion Day in the Park, or the Ste-phens Rendezvous). These events and others provide opportunities to support CYA programs. This support can provide tax benefits to donors as the CYA is qualified as a non-profit with a specific mission. Prior to the adoption of these gifting policies, if you wish to acknowledge a gift to the CYA on your tax returns; we recommend that you always consult with your tax advisor.

As we consider creating a gifting culture for the CYA, many of us have our own beliefs on where charitable gifts, in general, can help a community or reinforce a message for all to hear, or even to be inspired by.

Our Association is a community of liked-minded individuals who are passionate about their classic yachts, maritime history of yachting vessels, support-ing our Fleet communities, and we strive to inspire others to become future stewards of classic yachts. Gifts that help inspire, educate, and preserve can help the CYA enter into a new phase of our history. Membership will be critical.

Charting a Gifting Culture Course for the Classic Yacht Association

by Gerry Kamilos, Northern California Fleet, CYA Rear Commodore

Do you have a desire to help the Classic Yacht As-sociation in your own way? Is there something that you feel is missing in the CYA and you want to fill that gap? Do you want to make a lasting mark on the As-sociation? We know there are many ideas. Here are a few others to inspire us.

• Our Fleets are located throughout North American with members located in many parts of the globe. Communities in which our members and Fleets are located give our Association the opportunity to educate local individuals about our mission and purpose.

• Scholarships can support our Fleet families, inspire interest in classic yachts, and provide for the training of craftspeople to ensure the future well-being of our vessels.

• Support of local or Fleet events through dona-tions, such as underwriting a show, festival, or rendezvous, can provide resources to expand and offer new services to participants.

• Lecture series underwriting can provide stipends for speakers to Fleet and Association events to discuss relevant topics to our membership.

• Other areas of the Association where gifts or grants can be useful are: video education series, education workshops, archives, research, support for Fleet operations, and support of Association advocacy efforts.

As the CYA moves into its next half century, the sur-vival of our Association rests with those who are pre-pared to offer their time and commitment to maintain our relevance today, into the future, and for genera-tions to come. An effective and clear gifting culture and policies that enhance the Association’s mission shall help insure our future.


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In Remembrance of Dave Sharrock -Immediate Past Editor of the CYA Newsletter

by Dale Cagne, Canadian Fleet

Anyone who knew Dave would always have Spartan and ‘Dave’ simultaneously in their discussions. They were inseparable.

Dave first acquired Spartan III in 1985 when she was lying on her side on the bank of the Fraser River in British Columbia. She was port side down with the starboard side just ribs. Many tarps and long hours were used to get her floating again and she was ready in time to be on display at the Vancouver 1986 World Exposition on Transportation and Communica-tion, a World’s Fair held in Vancouver, British Colum-bia, Canada from May 2 through October 13, 1986. He was very proud of her.

I met Dave at Capilano College (where we both worked) in 1988. Ironically he was a staunch CUPE (Canadian Union of Public Employees) unionist and I was part of the Administration at the bargaining table. Fun times then! After the Worlds Fair, Dave, who lived on Spartan, settled in at the Vancouver Maritime Museum, a maritime museum devoted to presenting the maritime history of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Dave and I and my 3 year old daughter moved in together onto Spartan in 1989 and lived with him on Spartan for over a year at the Maritime Museum. Then as my daughter and the dog were growing

bigger we moved to Bowen Island and lived in a real house where we were for almost 30 years. Spartan was moored in Bowen’s Manion Bay (aka Deep Bay) for years but after a few bad winds and anchor draggings, she settled in at the Union Steamship Marina in Snug Cove. When we became full time paramedics with BC Ambulance in Vancouver, we took Spartan to Mosquito Creek Marina for a number of years where we lived on her when we were on shift, heading back to Bowen for our days off.

Through most of their time together Spartan was frequently in a boathouse which was perfect for her and Dave to

be able to work on her. Unfortunately on January 3, 2020, she sank in her boathouse here on Quadra Island where we had retired. The bilge pump failed and down she went. She was salvaged and was on the hard at Freshwater Marina in Campbell River and Dave spent every day on her figuring out a plan to hopefully restore her. In March he told me he did not have ‘the years or money’ to fix her and posted an ad to give her to just the right person. Sadly he passed away quickly at home February 20, 2020, (of a bro-ken heart, I believe). On March 8, 2020 an amazing young local couple took her over and have already began to lovingly restore her back to her original beauty. They emailed me yesterday - they got her engine going!!!!

David Lee Sharrock (19 October 1944 - 20 February 2020)

Editor’s Comment: Our thanks to Dave for all his con-tributions to the CYA including his excellent service as editor of the Newsletter.

Dave along side his beloved Spartan III. photo by D Cagne

first-responders• Let first responders know if you have any flu-like

symptoms when calling for assistance.2. Park and Public Docks (State, Provincial, County, City, and Natural Resources) • Check the open/closed status before approaching• Don’t use when closed – even if other boats are

using them• No dinghy landing when closed• No Rafting• Minimize activities

3. Marinas and Launch Ramps• Marina offices may be closed to public access but

staffed - phone to register and pay• Wear a mask/face covering• Maintain 6 feet/2 meter social distancing at all

times• On narrow docks, use finger floats, ramps, and

wait your turn in order to maintain social distanc-ing

• Use sanitizer after using pay stations and self-reg-istration stations

4. Marina Restrooms and Showers• Use onboard facilities whenever possible• Check with marina for protocols and open/closed

status• Toilet paper may not be available

5. Guests Onboard• Keep the onboard group to household family

members• Self-isolate if anyone has symptoms or may have

been exposed6. Handcarts• Minimize use of dock-carts• Wipe down the cart handle and other surfaces• Use sanitizer dispensers

7. Fuel Docks• Yield priority access to commercial and essential

service vessels• Minimize use of offices• Use gloves when handling hoses and nozzle• Maintain social distancing

8. Pumpout Facilities• Wear gloves and protective equipment• Wash your hands thoroughly afterwards

9. If you leave your boat


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Be Prepared for COVID-19 Boatingby Janice Johnson-Palmer, Pacific Northwest Fleet

We are heading into the summer which is usually filled with lots of boating activities where we are free to mingle with others, go onshore in public and private facilities, and roam parks freely. COVID-19 has changed how we plan our boating activities. The Waggoner Guide is providing resourses as well as guidelines for safe boating that you might find helpful as we move through the months ahead.

Resources. As government agencies loosen restric-tions on recreational activities, boaters should check the closed/open status of marine facilities, parks and border crossings before heading out. Waggoner Guide maintains an up-to-date list of boater facili-ties which is divided into Washington Waters, B.C. waters, Northern B.C. and West Coast of Vancouver Island waters at www.WaggonerGuide.com/covid-19.

We all need to check individual marina websites for details. Be sure to check with city and county author-ities to confirm that local communities are accepting and welcoming non-resident guests. As conscien-tious citizens and boaters, we want to adhere to all government COVID-19 directives and guidelines for safe boating activities.

Remember that the Canadian/USA Border is still closed as of our publication date, may open June 21.

Online updates from Waggoner Guide: As we ma-neuver through these strange waters, join speakers from the Waggoner Guide on Thursday evenings from 7:00 to 8:15 pm PDT for a COVID-19 up-date on what’s open and closed. To join this event register on Eventbrite, https://www.eventbrite.com/e/covid-19-boating-update-whats-open-tick-ets-105156249172 and they will then send you an invitation to join online about two hours prior to the live event. COVID-19 related policies change almost daily. To help you plan this cruising season, join this website to learn what is open and what is still closed.

Guidelines. 1. Be Prepared and Be Self-Reliant• Avoid the need to call upon first-responders• Don’t take chances that might require assistance• If you need assistance, minimize your impact on

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For over 80 years, in Stockton, California, mahogany, holly, white oak, teak, Douglas fir, walnut, and bronze were transformed by designers and artisans into Bristol yachts. The Stephens Brothers Boat Builders and Designers Company thrived. On September 11, 12, and 13th of this year, a celebration will occur like no other the world has seen; where these yachts built by Stephens Brothers will gather. It will be the largest assemblage of Stephens-built yachts this millennium and maybe the last. We will meet at Village West Ma-rina in Stockton, California. In addition to celebrating the success of these venerable yacht architects and shipwrights, we will celebrate Dick Stephens’ 100th birthday. Dick is the last remaining patriarch of the Stephens family who owned and operated the Com-pany from 1902 until 1987.

At the end of World War II, Roy Stephens, after over-seeing the construction and launching of over 700 vessels, retired and turned the company over to his nephews - Theo, Barre, and Dick Stephens. With the experience of supporting military efforts in WWI and WWII, the Stephens yard again contracted with the military during the Korean War and the beginning of Cold War hostilities in 1953.

In 1960, the brothers sold the company to the Wrath-er Corporation, headed by entertainment industry mogul and Stephens Brothers boat-collector, Jack Wrather, a member of Ronald Regan’s kitchen cab-inet. The company name was changed to Stephens Marine, Inc. This proved to be a short-lived transac-

tion and the brothers bought the company back just three years later. This was a period that Dick Ste-phens says was particularly challenging as the broth-ers were passionate about building quality yachts and not willing to conform to a large corporate culture introduced by the Wrather Corporation.

The company continued to gain popularity through the 1960’s, with more orders flowing in from the East coast. Dick Stephens took a personal hand in design-ing the sleek look of the cruisers of the 1950’s like the 85’ Westlake, 60’ Joie, 60’ Miss 102, 58’ Ahalani, and 47’ Sea Gal. When looking at the architecture of these late 1940’s and 1950’s cruisers it seems ap-parent that Dick Stephens’ love of sailing influenced the sleek lines of these yachts. However, when asked about this, his reply was “No, it certainly does not

appear that way to me.” He further explained, “I was designing yachts for the client. It was to fit the client’s request in boat form and function.”

Dick Stephens was more than an exceptional design-er. He was also a world champion sailor. In Septem-ber 1950, Motor Boating said, “Following the national championship series 33 helmsmen took part in the International 14-foot Dinghy Class World Champion-ship series which was won by Dick Stephens, rep-resenting the Ionic Sailing Club of Stockton, Cali-fornia...” Stephens said that no one could figure out where “Ionic” was so they changed the name to

Stockton and that was the beginning of the Stockton Sailing Club that is still active today.


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Dick Stephens: Architect, Shipwright, Artisan & Renaissance Man

by Gerry Kamilos, Northern California Fleet, CYA Rear Commodore and Bill Wells, Staff Commodore Northern California Fleet

Donna and Dick Stephens enjoying their backyard dock on the Calavaras River (2018). courtesy of Stephens family

Part of the 33-boat, 14-foot dinghy fleet racing in the International Open Cass, three-race series. Dick Stephens won the race in Opps, a boat he designed. from Motor Boating Magazine (1950).

Dick’s love of sailing may have begun as a young boy: “Being in the boat business was no surprise to me because my father was a boat builder, and I grew up in the boatyard,” Stephens said. “I played there, and I upset probably most of the workmen there because I would use their tools and rearrange things, sometimes when they didn’t want me to.”

When Stephens says he used their tools, he doesn’t mean playing make-believe. Around 1928, when he


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was only 8-years old (!), the precocious Dick Ste-phens salvaged a boat and transformed it. “There was a skiff, like maybe 10, 12 feet long,” Dick re-called. “Maybe it had been used for duck hunting or something. It ended up in the yard, in the water there, and it was abandoned.”

Stephens continued, “... So I did some painting on it, put in a mast and lee-boards, a bowsprit and sails and made a sailboat out of it. Called it Davy Jones. I guess the longest voyage I had, I could sail was from the shop to the turning basin.” (This is a four-mile

round trip!!)

Dick Stephens love of sailing was ingrained as Ste-phens Bros built 19 very sleek sloops called Faral-lone Clippers from 1940 to 1962; Dick Stephens won many races on San Francisco Bay at the helm of a Farallone Clipper.

Dick Stephens’ expression about the use of wood was clearly stated in the December 1954 issue of

According to club history, the original Ionic Sailing Club, was named for early Greek sailors in the yacht club tra-ditions of names like Aeolian and Corinthian. While the change to from Ionic to Stockton occurred in the 50’s, The Club’s articles of incorporation were not amended until 1965.

A gallery of Dick Stephens’-designed boats. (from top to bottom) 1954 - 47’ Sea Gal anchored in San Fran-sico Bay; 1956 - 60’ Miss 102 at Grindstone Joe’s Island Sacramento-San Juaquin River Delta; 1961 - 45’ White Swan in Raccoon Straits, Tiburon CA; 1972 - 48’ Triple Crown at the Corinthian Yacht Club, Tiburon CA.

1954

1972

1961

1956

A 38’ Farallon Clipper sailboat built by Stephens Broth-ers in San Francisco Bay. photo unknown source

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me because I was the son of my father’s business.” When asked what single piece of advice would he give anyone running a business, “Do the very best you can.”

Happy 100 years, Mr. Stephens and many more!!


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(continued from page 9, Dick Stephens..)

Motor Boating Magazine, “Richard Stephens ofSte-phens Marine Inc, Stockton, CA sees production versatility as a primary reason why wood will remain an important material for boats in the 25 to 100 foot class. ‘Ours is mostly a custom operation’ Stephens says, ‘Wood construction makes it possible for us to economically turn out individualized boats in the 36 to 85 foot size.’ Stephens points to the 12-meter America’s Cup boats as an example of what is possi-ble with the material.”

Transitioning from the sleek look of the1950’s to the angular cruiser designs of the 1960’s was another transformation. Boats now had more saloon win-dows, no aft cockpits, and open aft decks like 50’ Navilus, 47’ White Swan, 45’ Donnella, 43’ Firebird, and 42’ Gatsby. In the 1960s, while the boat building market underwent a transformation; the mahogany- hulled Stephens cruisers continued into the 1970’s like the 48’ Triple Crown. New materials like alumi-num and fiberglass were proving to be more durable and affordable. The demand shifted from wood to these materials. Stephens Brothers launched its last wooden boat in 1974, the 50’ Egret. In 1975, Ste-phens Brothers launched its first aluminum hull yacht and continued to build over 20 such vessels, like the 85’ Defiance, ranging in LOA of 55’ to 92’. Over time, expenses rose and the market slowed. Stephens Brothers was no longer financially viable, and closed down operations in the spring of 1987. The best craftsmanship ever to come out of Stockton came from Stephens Brothers boatyard (1902-1987).

Some say longevity is a function of having the de-meanor to handle challenging and changing times. Dick Stephens is a perfect example. He, with grace and a strong quiet character dealt with idiosyncra-sies of demanding clients, keeping his company relevant for decades, surviving economic downturns, and maintaining a world-class quality product while raising a family. Stephens Brothers is gone — the old boatyard is 5 Star Marina now — but one Stephens survives: Dick Stephens, 99. Stephens lives with his wife Donna in a beautiful Calaveras River waterfront home (with garage doors made of the same Philip-pine mahogany as Stephens’ boat hulls).

Finally, we asked Mr. Stephens what was his most rewarding aspect of running Stephens Brothers. His answer, “Satisfied customers. It was natural for

Due to COVID-19-concerns for Dick’s health, the inter-view for this article was a multi-step process. Gerry and Bill would send their questions to Christina Musachia, Dick and Donna’s daughter. She would then speak with her father, record his reponses, and transmit the replies back. Any clarification and/or additional questions went back through the same process.

The Stephens Brothers designed and built over 400 vessels from the end of World War II until they closed in 1987. Over 100 of these are in use today.

The archives for Stephens Boats can be found at the Haggin Museum in Stockton CA.

(continued from pg 7, Be Prepared...)

• Check to be sure that local communities are ac-cepting and welcoming non-resident guests

• Wear a mask/face covering• Clean handles, door knobs, light switches and

control panels on your boat• Use local grocery delivery services where avail-

able. 10. General Good Practices On and Off the Boat• Don’t touch your face, mouth, eyes. or nose• Carry sanitizer wipes, disposable gloves, and

masks/face coverings• Reguar hand-washing with hot water and soap for

at least 20 seconds when you return to your boat.

Waggoner Cruising Guide has supplied some of the material in his column as a service to the boating com-munity.

In California go to https://www.parks.ca.gov/NewsRe-lease/954 and the USCG for Federally policed waters.

Other COVID-related information can be found on their web-page at Places to Boat Locally During Covid-19 and Recreational Boating in British Columbia During Covid-19.

Make sure your electrical loads are as low as possi-ble, a good rule on any boat. Your refrigerator should be well insulated with effective gaskets and an efficient compressor. LED lighting uses about 10% of incandescent lighting. Be aware of heater fan or pump loads, especially if it’s a forced air or hydronic system. Device charging, occasional pump use, etc. can all add up.To size your solar panel, add the amp-hours you typically use in a day.

Example electrical loads and energy consumedElectrical Load Energy - Amp/hours/day

Refrigerator or freezer 20-50Diesel heater fan 15-35Lights 10-25USB/charging loads 0.5 amps/hour

Radio, music 0.2 amps/hourTV 8 amps/hourPumps ?Head ?Windlass Run your engine!!Microwave Shore power or generatorHair dryer Shore power or generator

Finally, unless you are a qualified electrician, have a professional connect your wiring. It shouldn’t take more than an hour and will keep you safe and worry free.

See? Easy and green!

It’s Easy Being Green!(with apologies to Kermit the Frog)

by John Lebens, Pacific Northwest Fleet

Adding solar power to your classic vessel is fairly inexpensive and easy to do. Solar power will enable you to spend more time on the hook or at a buoy, or even at the dock - using sunshine to keep your bat-teries topped off. It will be cleaner and quieter than running your main engine or a generator.

Boats in general have a big advantage when it comes to solar. Your expensive house batteries are already installed and waiting to receive the charge. What’s left to install is surprisingly straightforward. You can buy the parts at Home Depot or Amazon. Because panels are widely used in the RV world, prices are reasonable.

You’ll need a panel (or two) and a voltage controller. You’ll also need wire and connectors to link to your on-board electrical system. On a boat, a flexible panel is usually the best choice.

Search for “flexible solar panel” and several will come up. You can buy a 175-watt panel from Renorgy for less than $300, or a Sunpower 110-watt panel for $200. A 100-watt panel will produce somewhere around 25 amp/hours on a sunny day. That’s enough to replace the power used by an efficient refrigerator.

A voltage controller costs $50 and up, depending on the brand, features, and capacity. Be sure to buy an MPPT controller - it will charge your batteries cor-rectly. Buy one that can handle the amperage your panels produce.

Probably the most difficult part of the process is where and how to locate the panel and associated wiring. It’s important to locate the panel where it is not shaded. Flexible panels can follow the profile of a roof or deck and are quite thin, but sturdy enough to walk on.

Attach the panel to a deck or roof surface with heavy duty Velcro or a similar fastener. When not in use, the panel can be rolled up and stored under a settee cushion or in a hanging locker. We store our panel in the anchor locker and set it on our deck when we want to use it.


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A 175-watt solar panel installed on Larry Benson and Tina Stotz’s Thelonius. The panel is 28 inches wide and 60 inches long. photo provided by K Meyer

from a prominent family whose order included that “no expense” be spared. Brix christened all three of his Stephens yachts with the same name. Rusty Arias, owning twin Stephens yachts in both the Northern and Southern California Fleets, has estab-lished a close relationship with Dick Stephens. He adds that when asked about his favorite vessels, Dick responded that his “favorite boats were commis-sioned by his favorite people.”

“If Dick’s favorite boats were commissioned by his favorite people, I would bet Jack Wrather was not on that list, as Wrather complained about everything,” says Jonathan Lennard, the current owner of Lone Ranger 2 who has studied the correspondence be-tween the builder and the buyer. Jonathan has so far had the opportunity to review only 6 of 100 boxes of Wrather’s archive, which “is a treasure trove of Ste-phens history” . . . and also contained Lone Ranger memorabilia - his silver bullet (1950’s TV reference).

Dick Stephens told Rusty Arias that he had worked with two geniuses in his lifetime. One was Leo Fend-er of Fender Guitar who owned six Stephens boats, all of which were named Aquafin. The other man he considered genius was Classic “Clessey” Cum-mins of Cummins Motor Company who owned two Stephens. One of those, Folly II, Dick claims as his very favorite vessel as it was designed by his father between 1928-1931.


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Six Stephens Sisters of the Southern California Fleetcompiled by Rusty Areias, Janet Beggs, Dianna Ettel & Jonathon Leonard, Southern California Fleet

Dick Stephens not only knows the boats that were birthed at the Stephens Bros. boatyard but he also recalls the owners who ordered them. Some he remembers with a smile and some he refuses to say much about. In 1929 Dick Stephens was still a young boy just hanging around his father’s boatyard but he well re-members Frank E. Cressey, Jr., who commissioned Tapawinga, and a gentleman named “Grindstone Joe” who couldn’t pronounce that name so called her Tapa-tapa. Today her varnish gleams under the name Athena. Dick reminisced about another 1929 vessel - the Colonel Rheem built for Donald Rheem. This beauty now bears the name Conquest and he was happy to hear she was well-regarded at the Newport Beach Wooden Boat Show, winning Best in Show last summer. . . . and that Athena was First Runner Up.

Dick has a fond and clear memory of Enchantress as she was the first boat that Dick himself built after he returned from the Naval Academy in 1947. She was built for the Beurkle brothers, local farmers who made quite a bit of money after finding guano on their prop-erty which they sold as a very rich fertilizer. Knowing of their financial condition, Dick said he wrote them a letter suggesting they have Stephens Bros. build them a boat and - as he said - they fell for it. The Beurkles creatively named the boat Tistab – which is “bats*it” spelled backwards.

After retiring to Newport Beach, the owner of Sea Board Finance Company commissioned the 1951 Sea Boarder. Upon his grandfather’s death and the sale of the yacht, So Cal Staff Commodore Jim Kro-eger searched for her for 42 years. Like a miracle, she pulled up in front of him one morning at the Newport Beach Wooden Boat Show, just feet away from her original home dock. Although she had undergone an extensive renovation and appeared with no name, within a short time she regained both her name and her family.

A custom yacht originally designed with a pipe or-gan? That was 1960’s Amelia Marie (now known as Joie) built for Theodore Brix, a Fresno businessman

Dick Stephens at his home dock on the California Delta reminiscing about building the vessels of the Southern Cali-fornia Fleet. Vice-Commodore Dianna Ettel and others look-ing on. (August 2019) photo provided by authors

Acceptable Risk: It’s a Grey Area

by Mike Fazio, Commodore USA Fleet


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As an aircraft owner as well as a boat guy, I never have to wonder what to do with a Saturday morning! If the sun is shining, and it’s warm - varnish or repair something on Annie Laurie, my 60-foot long cruiser. If there’s a threat of rain, I can clean the oil off the belly or fix something on my 1959 Piper Comanche. Of course, there is always the possibility of either untying the dock lines and firing up the Detroits for a cruise up the river, or even possibly flying some-where; but that all seems a bit selfish or overzealous!

Maintenance is a reality that must not be ignored, whether you have a 90-year-old yacht or a 60-year-old airplane. Neither will allow a moment’s com-placency. Captain A. G. Lamplugh, a British pilot from the early days of aviation once famously said “Aviation in itself is not inherently dangerous. But to an even greater degree than the sea, it is terribly unforgiving of any carelessness, incapacity or neglect.” As all the world is a study in shades of grey, it is especially so in matters of acceptable risk. First, we consider Captain Ron from the comedy of the same name where Kurt Russell (Cap-tain Ron) is hired to deliver Mar-tin’s (Martin Short) somewhat derelict, inherited ketch from the Caribbean island of “San Pomme de Terre” to Miami. When Martin’s wife raises con-cern about leaving port before making sure the boat is safe, Captain Ron issues his famous quote: “Well, the best way to find out is to get her out on the ocean, Kitty. If anything’s gonna happen, it’ll happen out there.” Now, if we wanted to mitigate all possible (and impossible) risk, we would take the attitude of the old Boston dowager, when asked of her summer travel plans. Her response: “Why should one travel, when one has already ar-rived?” She wasn’t taking any risk whatsoever! So, somewhere in the middle, we ‘kick the tires and light

the fires’ (another Captain Ron quote,) and venture smack dab into the grey area.

Several years ago, aboard Annie Laurie, we lost re-verse gear on the starboard engine. Happily, it hap-pened just as I was maneuvering into the slip, and the boat was nicely lined up, so I was the only person aware of an issue. The problem was a bad cable con-nection at the Morse quadrant. To mitigate risk, the following Saturday I spent some considerable time lubricating, and adjusting all cables for both engines: Risk factor reduced! The following summer at Mystic Seaport, (again while docking,) I lost all thrust from the port engine. Thankfully avoiding what I thought was certain collision with a rather large, Bristol yacht docked to my starboard, I was able to maneuver ahead, and came to rest on a bulkhead about 60 yards ahead of the location specified by the Seaport. Three lessons learned: (1) Keep calm; (2) Maintain control of the vessel (or as we were all taught in flight training: aviate/navigate/communicate); and (3) Per-haps spend some time with an instructor maneuver-ing on a single engine. The dock staff was confused

as to my intentions, but following the rule above, communication is my last priority in a potential emergency situation. This me-chanical failure was caused by a locknut on the tail of the Detroit 671 engine into the Allison trans-mission. It was nearly impossible to predict, and further, impossible to inspect without several hours of breakdown, and perhaps risk of damage from the inspection. So, that’s certainly a grey area! Lesson learned: be very gentle with the controls, especially when backing down.

“Goodness! The bow is looking low in the water… in fact, where’s the boot top?” We were sitting aboard, enjoying our third or fourth glass of wine, when the recently launched 47’ Pacemaker was slowly descending into the

riverbed. The owner (husband of gal sitting next to me) sprinted down the dock screaming at us!

Between expletives, he asked if we might have let

Inspecting the forward bilge pumps through the hatch on Annie Laurie. photo by M Fazio

(to page 14)


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(continued from pg 13, Acceptable Risk...)

him know if the water reached the bridge deck! Oops. Issue found: One battery disconnected, and a bad pump on the battery that was supplying cur-rent. Lesson learned: If you have multiple pumps, let’s make sure all are powered, and functioning. Some very well-kept boats have suffered because since they don’t pump often, the owner became complacent. Then that day happens when a stuffing box starts leaking, and bad things happen fast.

Check Lists. A list is a good thing. No pilot should ever fly without one. Similarly, I have had check lists aboard almost every boat I have ever owned. Not only do they help us remember things, if one spends time developing one, a flow can be estab-lished that will make the list easy and efficient to fol-low. Here is a summary of three of mine aboard Annie Laurie. Starting from the top:

Annual Inspections. Start-of-season maintenance items. (Since I live aboard, there is no major decom-missioning.) Service fuel filters, impellers, engine and transmission oil; drain and refresh engine & genset coolant (every three years); check zincs, batteries, bilge pumps (Annie has eight!); service stuffing boxes (inspection, adjustment, lubrication) and rudder posts (as previous). Inspect steering cable, entire path, and all sheaves, etc.) Inspect exhaust and water supply hoses and strainers, holding tank, (and all waste systems), radios/GPS, and helm systems, verify com-pass accuracy. Check all safety equipment (dates, and condition, including bailout bag!) Commission A/C systems. Change from winter to summer dock-lines and fenders, verify fender inflation and general condition of lines.) Check integrity of topside plank-ing, decks and superstructure, then we move on to cosmetics.

Monthly Inspections. Check all bilges, verify bilge pump operation, battery condition, check fuel tank levels and drain water sumps on fuel filters. If there has not been a trip recently, run engines and gen-set (with an electrical load!). Verify good water flow through exhaust. Verify there are no fuel or water leaks. Walk around, identify varnish or paint issues, make a list, and address them next Saturday! If it rains, watch Captain Ron.

Preflight Inspections. Check fuel, oil and coolant lev-els. Check bilge pumps and general, easily accessed bilge condition. Check radios, set GPS/Nav sys-

tems. Be sure emergency equipment is available and accessible. Determine what dock lines are required now and upon arrival. Are fenders in good condition? Walk around (big picture) make sure nothing is out of place (like a plank!) NOW: Kick the Tires and Light The Fires! Verify fuel and oil pressure. Check engine room for leaks, abnormalities, check water flow from exhausts.

Cruise Inspections. Of course, we have calculated a time in-cruise. Divide that time into reasonable checkpoints, along with reasonable significant times to check condition. Perhaps after the first 15 minutes of running, verify gauges, and in engine room, check for leaks, etc. Then at determined intervals, re-check engine room, gauges, fuel level, and bilges. Verify ex-haust is “healthy”. Set lines and fenders and possibly anchor for emergency deployment if needed.

Epilogue. It might seem impossible, but there is no end to the limits of potential maintenance. In fact, there is the distinct possibility one could have the world’s perceptibly safest, over-maintained yacht in the history of ocean navigation. The problem then, is that with the real or perceived knowledge of all that could possibly go wrong, one could become too frightened to ever leave the dock. And the reality is that when dealing with classic (old) boats and their systems, there is always potential for a breakdown of one type or another. So, this brings us back to the concept of “acceptable risk”. Seeing, hearing and smelling the brilliant green water and white foam splitting away from the stern as we skim along the wondrous sea is most certainly worth the risk, in my most humble opinion!

Inspecting the engine room on Annie Laurie. photo by M Fazio


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Welcome New CYA Members Members with registered vessels

Chris Thody, Kelly Thody & David Craid Faranda

40’ 1937 Stanley and Norman HopeCanadian Fleet

Owen Bubb, sponsor

Other New Members Susan O’Brien and Michael BeebeSouthern California Fleet

Reinstatement

Larry Sentena and Dan PhillipsSouth California Fleet

Are You logged in??You should be!

There is much more content available to members than to the public – rosters, publications, ship’s store, and much useful information.

If you don’t see the “Member’s Only” tab in the main menu, then you’re not logged in.

Click on the “little person” icon in the upper right cor-ner of the screen to enter your primary email address and password. On most computers you can save your login information so you should only have to enter it once. Also, if you don’t know your password, just click the “forgot password” link and you will get a link to reset your password emailed to your primary member email address.

Rick Etsell, CYA Webmaster

Webmaster’s Cornerhttps://classicyacht.org

All Hands on Deck!“A boat is the perfect place to self quarantine.”Barbara Marrett, Port Commissioner, Friday Harbor WA,

Seattle Boat Show LIVE, June 4, 2020

First, thanks to all who have contributed to this edi-tion.

Second, time for everyone to pull their weight.

This column will become a regular feature providing an opportunity for members (and other readers) a forum to voice their opinions, share their experiences, and provide voice to ideas for CYA activities, pro-grams, and opportunities.

Please address your contributions to:[email protected].

We are looking for a banner for this column. Please send your ideas.

Please limit your contributions to 400 words.

- the Editor

10203 47th Avenue SW, #D-4Seattle WA USA 98146

Official Newsletter of the Classic Yacht Association

www.classicyacht.org

Commodore....................Diane Lander, PNWVice Commodore............John Peckham, SCRear Commodore.............Gerry Kamilos, NCStaff Commodore..........Garth McBride, CAN

Please send queries, suggestions, complaints, articles, artwork, and photographs to [email protected]

The deadline for submitting material for the Fall 2020 issue is September 5. Depending on space availability some contributions may ap-pear in the Winter 2020 issue.

Notices:

Print vs Electronic Newsletter. All members will receive the electronic version of the Newslet-ter. The printed version will be sent to all mem-bers except those that opt not to receive it.

Newsletter format. We have increased the length of the newsletter from 12 to 16 pages in order to provide more content within each article and additional features. Please let us know your thoughts on these changes.

COVID-19. We have included some resources and guidance for boating in these times. I hope that you all are taking necessary precautions and enjoying time out on your boats. We have man-aged almost weekly trips. No better way to so-cially distance and enjoy the wonders that being on the water offers.

- the EDITOR


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celebrating 50 years of the classic yacht association...8 am, family and friends of the deceased...

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